Ashok Nagar is a residential locality situated at the southern part of Chennai, India. It was established in 1964. At the heart of this colony, stands the Ashoka Pillar. This four lion head stump, resembles the one erected by king Ashoka during the 3rd century BC at Sanchi.

To promote this suburban locality, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board constructed flats during the 1970s for middle-income group, covering an area of 7 sq km including the neighbourhood of K. K. Nagar.[1] The next major infrastructure was shopping complex constructed near Pillar in 1974. Banks, Ration shop, Grocery stores, urban development office were started functioning here. Followed by it was inauguration of Anna Community hall and sports club. In late 80s Udhayam Theatre complex and ESI hospital emerged. More government schools and additional transport facilities added credits to this colony and now Ashok Nagar has become established as a well-connected urban neighbourhood with great institutions, commercials, banks, luxury flats, bungalows, parks, hotels, restaurants, worship places, entertainment halls and more.

Ambedkar Salai connecting Kodambakkam High Road has become a shopping hub now having prominent showrooms like Sony, LG Shoppe, Panasonic, and Jayabharatham Furnitures along with food chain giant PIZZA HUT and leading public and private banks. On the 100 feet road from Pillar, there is Hot Chips, Saravana Bhavan, Anjappar, French Loaf and Buhari. Arcot road in Vadapalani which it borders has several shopping complexes and malls like Prestige, Chandra, Forum Vijaya. 11th Avenue is also gradually turning into a shopping area with Pazhamudhir Cholai, Reliance,Thalappakatti, Sri Krishna Sweets, Connexions, Sony Center, KFC and McDonalds. These trendy shopping areas and the metro connection are making Ashok Nagar an attractive locality for investment.

Tamil Nadu State Transport:
Tamil Nadu intercity mofussil buses stops at 11th Avenue. All state transport buses connecting south Tamil Nadu like Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Pondicherry or which passes via Tambaram, stops over here. The private route buses take Koyembedu-Thambaram by-pass. Bus stops at 11th Avenue only of few seconds. Passengers with heavy luggages are advised to take bus at CMBT depot at Koyembedu for safe boarding.

Library

Library:
The Government Public Library is located at 3rd Avenue. It opens except Fridays and 2nd Saturdays. Working hours are from 8am till 11:30am and evening 4pm till 7pm. Membership amount is Rs.100 for lending books. They have good collections of Tamil books for kids and young. It is free for public to read daily/monthly magazines.

Electricity Board

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board:
Household and Commercial electricity bills has to be paid once in two months. Meter readings are recorded by EB staff by last week of the month. Entries are made with total rate at EB card issued. The bills has to paid at TNEB office located at KK Nagar, near KK nagar bus depot (Opposite to Hotel Saravana Bhavan, KK Nagar Branch). Bills can be paid from 1st till 15th of payable month. There are 14 counters for collection. It functions from 8:30am till 1:00pm. Bills can also be paid online at http://www.tnebnet.org/awp/TNEB/

Telephone Exchange:
BSNL telephone exchange is located at Jawaharlal Nehru Road, K.K. Nagar. New connections, customer service, Land line and Mobile complaints, Cellone & Landline bill payments are handled here. Opens on Saturday too. Bills payments are accepted by cash, credit card or cheque. Duplicate bills are issued at free of cost. Office opens from morning 10am till 4pm. Bills can also be paid by online at http://billchn.bsnl.co.in/index.html

Sub Registrars Office

Sub Registrar Office:
Registrar office for land, house, commercial registrations in Ashok Nagar, are done at Sub Registrar Office located at No.1 S.V.Chidambaram Salai, Jafferkhanpet. Location: Take service line Opposite to Kasi theatre, beneath the bridge and take left. The land value for all Streets and Avenues are listed at their official website http://www.tnreginet.net/test1/gvaluemainpage2007.asp

Apart from above major temples, there are many Amman (Durga devi) temples interior within streets. Tamil Aadi month (August) is special for Amman. Many rituals are followed during this month. Free Raagi soup is served on Sundays during Aadi festival season. Since nagar has more dead-end and curved streets, we can find many small Ganesh idols ( Vinayagar temples ) in front of apartments and house gates.

Udhayam Multiplex with 4 screens situated at Pillar junction. Reservation counters open between 8:30am and 10:00am and at evening between 8:30pm and 9:00pm. Major new releases are screened at Udhayam complex. Limited car parking facility. Ticket are computerized to avoid black market.
Also close by at Vadapalani are the Kamala, AVM Rajeswari, SSR Pangajam theatres. Kasi theatre is at Ekattuthangal, about 5 min walk from Udhayam.

Chennai Sangamam 2010 at Ashok Nagar Park

Sangamam, is 10 days music & dance festival conducted across Chennai during the month of January. Ashok Nagar corporation park is one of the venue that hosts this festival.

The corporation park is situated near pillar junction. This park has track for walking and a small play area for kids. It is well maintained with cleanliness and toilet facilities. Visitors should park their vehicles outside. Park timings are morning between 5am and 9am, evening between 4pm and 9pm. Chennai corporation's elected council gave the green signal to Metro Rail for taking over the 4,246 sq m of Corporation park in Ashok Nagar. "The parks will be opened to public, only after the works get completed," officials said.

Kids play park at 12th is a compact play area for kids below 10. Park timings are morning between 5am and 9am, evening between 4pm and 9pm.

The Manthope Colony Cricket ground located near Manthope Colony has many unofficial sports clubs. A Tennikoit and Badminton courts are there. Elders and Youths team up for match early mornings and weekends.Football is played in the evenings by many groups.This ground has flood lights which are lit up during evenings daily.Football is primarily played after 5 P.M

Pudhur High School Ground is another spot where many cricket pitches are made on weekends. Broken compound wall at west-side of the school leads to unsafe and unclean environment.